Chart of the table positions of Neuchâtel Xamax FCS and its previous incarnations in the Swiss football league system
Stade de la Maladière
Gilbert Gress, championship winning coach of the 1980s.

Neuchâtel Xamax Football Club Serrières (pronounced [nøʃɑtɛlksamaks]) is a Swiss football club based in Neuchâtel. It was created in 1970 through a merger between FC Cantonal, founded in 1906 and Swiss champions of 1916, and FC Xamax founded in 1912. The name Xamax comes from legendary Swiss international player 'Xam' Max Abegglen, one of the founding members. Xamax Neuchâtel FCS obtained its current name after a merger with FC Serrières, another side from Neuchâtel, in May 2013.

History

In 1906 the club was founded as FC Cantonal and in 1970 merged with FC Xamax to create the current club.

They have been champions of Switzerland on three occasions, in 1916 and in successive years in 1987 and 1988. The club has also made it to five Swiss Cup finals, the most recent in 2011, but have failed to win any of them.

After many financial crises, the club declared bankruptcy on 26 January 2012 and was consequently excluded from Swiss Super League. The club was reformed, but had to restart in the Swiss amateur leagues, entering the 2. Liga Interregional, the fifth tier of the Swiss football league system, for the 2012–13 season. The club finished first in 2013 and was promoted to the 1. Liga Classic for 2013–14. Once again, Xamax finished first, winning the play-off to secure a second successive promotion. Xamax won 1. Liga Promotion, the third tier of Swiss league system was and promoted to the Challenge League after having a third successive promotion in 2014–15 season.

The club finally won promotion back to the Swiss Super League in 2018, marking the end of a six-year absence from the top flight of Swiss football. At the end of the 2019–20 Swiss Super League season, the club was relegated back to the second division after finishing bottom of the table.

Stadium

The club plays its home matches at the Stade de la Maladière, which began construction in 2004 and was opened in 2007. It has a capacity of 12,500 spectators.

Current squad

As of 14 April 2026

  • Sources: Transfermarkt squad list 2025–26 season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No.Pos.NationPlayer
No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK COD Anthony Mossi 2 DF MLI Ismaël Sidibé 3 DF SUI Jonathan Fontana 4 MF KOS Eris Abedini 5 DF KOS Lavdrim Hajrulahu 7 DF SUI Mickaël Facchinetti 8 MF SUI Malik Deme 9 FW KOS Shkelqim Demhasaj 11 FW FRA Salim Ben Seghir 15 DF SUI Yoan Epitaux 16 DF SUI Léo Seydoux 17 MF FRA Romain Bayard 19 FW SUI Jessé Hautier 20 FW CIV Koro Koné 21 DF NED Léon BergsmaNo. Pos. Nation Player 25 DF KOS Jetmir Krasniqi 27 GK SUI Edin Omeragić 31 MF SUI Francesco Lentini 34 MF SUI Elmedin Zahaj 35 MF SUI Altin Azemi 36 DF SUI Shiloh Reinhard 39 MF SUI Gonçalo dos Santos 41 DF SUI Adonis Bourezak 43 DF SUI Theodore Elsig 81 MF POR Diogo Carraco 90 FW SUI Vincent Nvendo 94 GK SUI Tim Hottiger 99 FW SUI Liridon Mulaj
1GKCODAnthony Mossi
2DFMLIIsmaël Sidibé
3DFSUIJonathan Fontana
4MFKOSEris Abedini
5DFKOSLavdrim Hajrulahu
7DFSUIMickaël Facchinetti
8MFSUIMalik Deme
9FWKOSShkelqim Demhasaj
11FWFRASalim Ben Seghir
15DFSUIYoan Epitaux
16DFSUILéo Seydoux
17MFFRARomain Bayard
19FWSUIJessé Hautier
20FWCIVKoro Koné
21DFNEDLéon Bergsma
No.Pos.NationPlayer
25DFKOSJetmir Krasniqi
27GKSUIEdin Omeragić
31MFSUIFrancesco Lentini
34MFSUIElmedin Zahaj
35MFSUIAltin Azemi
36DFSUIShiloh Reinhard
39MFSUIGonçalo dos Santos
41DFSUIAdonis Bourezak
43DFSUITheodore Elsig
81MFPORDiogo Carraco
90FWSUIVincent Nvendo
94GKSUITim Hottiger
99FWSUILiridon Mulaj

Notable players

Cameroon

Central African Republic

Egypt

Ivory Coast

Nigeria

Senegal

Sierra Leone

Philippines

Saudi Arabia

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bulgaria

Hungary

West Germany

Ireland

Liechtenstein

Spain

Switzerland

Netherlands

Honours

Leagues

Cups

Former coaches

CoachNationalityTenure
Giovanni FerrariItaly1946–1948
Fernand JaccardSwitzerland1948–1952
Josef HumpálCzechoslovakia1961–1965
Milorad MilutinovićSocialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia1968–1969
Josef HumpálCzechoslovakia1969–1970
Paul GarbaniSwitzerlandJuly 1970–Jan 1972
Josef ArtimovitsAustriaJan 1972–July 1972
Lev MantulaSocialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaJuly 1972–Jan 1975
Branko RezuarSocialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaJan 1975–July 1975
Gilbert GressFrance1975–1977
Antonio MerloItalyJuly 1977–April 1978
Erich Vogel–April 1978–October 1979
Lev MantulaSocialist Federal Republic of YugoslaviaOctober 1979–July 1980
Jean‑Marc GuillouFrance1980–1981
Gilbert GressFrance1981–1990
Roy HodgsonEngland1990–1992
Uli StielikeGermanyJan 1992–July 1993
Uli Stielike & Don GivensGermany / Republic of Ireland1993–1994
Gilbert GressFrance1994–1997
Alain GeigerSwitzerland1998–2002
Claude RyfSwitzerlandJuly 2002–Feb 2004
René Lobello & Christophe MoulinFrance / SwitzerlandFeb 2004–July 2004
René Lobello & Gianni Della CasaFrance / Italy2004–2005
Alain GeigerSwitzerland2005
Miroslav BlaževićCroatia2005–2006
Gérard CastellaSwitzerlandJune 2006–March 2008
Néstor ClausenArgentina2008–Jan 2009
Jean‑Michel AebySwitzerlandJan 2009–June 2009
Pierre‑André SchürmannSwitzerlandJune 2009–April 2010
Jean‑Michel AebySwitzerlandApril 2010–Aug 2010
Didier Ollé‑NicolleFranceSept 2010–May 2011
Bernard ChallandesSwitzerlandMay 2011
Sonny AndersonBrazil2011
François CiccoliniFranceJuly 2011
Joaquín CaparrósSpainJuly 2011–Sept 2011
Víctor MuñozSpainSept 2011–Jan 2012
Roberto CattilazSwitzerlandMay 2012–Oct 2015
Michel DecastelSwitzerlandOct 2015–Feb 2019
Stéphane HenchozSwitzerlandFeb 2019–June 2019
Joël MagninSwitzerlandJuly 2019–July 2020
Stéphane HenchozSwitzerlandJuly 2020–Dec 2020
Martin RuedaSwitzerlandDec 2020
Andrea BinottoSwitzerland / ItalyJan 2021–Aug 2022
Jeff SaibeneLuxembourg / SwitzerlandAug 2022–Apr 2023
Uli ForteItalyApr 2023–Dec 2024
Anthony BraizatFranceDec 2024–present

European record

SeasonCompetitionRoundOpponentsHomeAwayAggregate
1981–82UEFA Cup1RCzechoslovakia Sparta Prague4–02–36–3
2RSweden Malmö1–01–02–0
3RPortugal Sporting CP1–00–01–0
QFWest Germany Hamburg0–02–32–3
1984–85UEFA Cup1RGreece Olympiacos2–20–12–3
1985–86UEFA Cup1RRomania Sportul Studențesc3–04–47–4
2RBulgaria Lokomotiv Sofia0–01–11–1 (a)
3RScotland Dundee United3–11–24–3
QFSpain Real Madrid2–00–32–3
1986–87UEFA Cup1RDenmark Lyngby2–03–15–1
2RNetherlands Groningen1–10–01–1 (a)
1987–88European Cup1RFinland Kuusysi5–01–26–2
2RGermany Bayern Munich2–10–22–3
1988–89European Cup1RGreece AEL2–11–23–3 (3–0 PSO)
2RTurkey Galatasaray3–00–53–5
1990–91European Cup Winners' Cup1RPortugal Estrela de Amadora1–11–12–2 (3–4 PSO)
1991–92UEFA Cup1RMalta Floriana2–00–02–0
2RScotland Celtic5–10–15–2
3RSpain Real Madrid1–00–41–4
1992–93UEFA Cup1RDenmark BK Frem2–21–43–6
1995–96UEFA CupQRSerbia and Montenegro Red Star Belgrade0–01–01–0
1RItaly Roma1–10–41–4
1996–97UEFA CupQRCyprus Anorthosis Famagusta4–02–16–1
1RUkraine Dynamo Kyiv2–10–02–1
2RSweden Helsingborg1–10–21–3
1997–98UEFA CupQ1Moldova Tiligul-Tiras Tiraspol7–03–110–1
Q2Norway Viking3–01–24–2
1RItaly Inter Milan0–20–20–4
2003–04UEFA CupQRMalta Valletta2–02–04–0
1RFrance Auxerre0–10–10–2

External links

  • (in French)
  • on Soccerway